


Oh, God, the Pain

by ColorInPlatinum



Series: Apt Punishment [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Punishment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-15
Updated: 2018-03-15
Packaged: 2019-03-31 20:52:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13983105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColorInPlatinum/pseuds/ColorInPlatinum
Summary: hazel led the attack on haven, and salem isn't too happy that he's returned empty-handed.





	Oh, God, the Pain

"She's not going to be very happy with you."  
  
Arthur kept repeating it--Hazel wants to strangle him for it, but he's exhausted from the Haven fight. A day passes, mostly so they can decompress from the enormous failure at the school and heal, and Salem summons him to the arena. He knows exactly what's coming the second the door behind him shuts and latches. Hazel won't try to force it open, he knows Salem's locked it by _other_ means.  
  
"Hazel Rainart, " Salem's voice echoes throughout the arena, and he spies her form as she emerges from the balcony just above him. "you led the attack on Haven Academy and failed. You negotiated the terms of allyship with Adam Taurus and failed. You discovered the whereabouts of our dearest Ozpin and failed to kill him. Failure is met with apt punishment, Hazel darling. You know this."  
  
"Yeah." he mutters. "I know it."  
  
He knows it because she hardly ever aims her proverbial gun his way. Even Watts has been hurt more than Hazel has. It's his one thing he can hold over Salem's head--he's just too damn tough for her to hurt. But the woman finds her ways. Every semblance has a limit, even his, and he can already imagine the pain he's going to be in when this is finished.  
  
He hears the door to the spawning pool in the arena open and watches a small pack of beowolves crawl from the shadows. Hazel won't need it yet, but he checks his dust reserves--he hasn't changed it out since Haven. Two shards of lightning dust, four shards of fire, and two shards of gravity. Not much in the grand scheme of things.   
  
One of the creatures finally charges him, and he downs it with a kick to the side of its head. The first pack is always easy. They're dead in less than five minutes. Salem isn't watching him anymore.

* * *

 

It's been two days. No food, no water, no rest, not even a bathroom, and Hazel is starting to wear himself down. The electric dust is gona, as are two shards of fire dust, but he's not done fighting just yet. Salem's started sending the big ones after him--beringels and boarbatusks and ursa major. He's gone from destroying whole packs in just a few minutes to taking an hour to kill a single opponent.  
  
Hazel tears through the last ursa major and hits the floor hard, eyes rolling into the back of his head. He blacks out for a moment, but it can't be for long since he's still alone when he comes to. Salem didn't send any grimm, which means she's preparing another wave. Hazel sits back on his knees and holds his hands up to his face. His vision is blurred, and he counts six hands instead of two just from how bad it is, and his arms are shaking like leaves in the wind. He curses under his breath. It's starting to hurt.   
  
The door opens again and Hazel practically jumps to his feet. His aura won't last much longer, so he shoves another pair of dust crystals into his arm, groaning at the pain--oh god, pain. It burns like hellfire as the energy flows through his veins, and Hazel actually lets out a cry. He hears the distinct sound of a horse's footsteps and he steels himself.  
  
Salem knows he can't last much longer.

* * *

  
It finally ends after another day. This is one of the shorter punishments and he's grateful for it.  
  
The deathstalker he's fighting strikes at his feet and Hazel stumbles backward, stunned by the hit. That's all it takes, because the creature hisses at him and slams its stinger into his stomach, sending him flying into the stone wall. He falls forward onto his face, blood flying from his lips and splattering the floor as he lands. He's out cold.  
  
The last thing he registers is the sound of Salem's heels approaching his limp form.  
  
Hazel wakes up in the medbay, Arthur nearby and bent over a clipboard. He's hooked up to a heart monitor, IV, the works. He usually is after these experiences. Salem's punishments usually don't extend past a slap or a scar here and there, and worse physical violence when one acts up too terribly. But it's not so simple with him. She has to get creative.  
  
And it puts him out of commission for at least a month after every punishment.  
  
"Ah good, you're awake." Watts notes, moving to Hazel's bedside. He tries to talk and finds--gods above, that's a damn tube down his throat. Arthur takes note of Hazel's changing expression and nods. "The deathstalker that finally knocked you out shattered a good portion of your ribcage and your right lung is struggling to work at the moment. Nothing too serious, but you do need help breathing for a week or so." Hazel sighs and nods. He doesn't bother trying to ask questions. He's right where Salem wanted him, after all.  
  
He's still in pain though. The semblance likes to go both ways. He gestures weakly to the IV bag he's hooked up to, and Arthur hesitates before sighing and moving to fetch another. "You worry me." he mumbles.  
  
 _Yeah_ , he thinks to himself. _You and me both._


End file.
